Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1887-07-23


feiter, Bank Sneak and Pickpocket.
Crime has its specialties just as hon
st industry. The approach of sum-
mer indicates the period when, as every
Shrewd detective knows, robberies of a
certain character are perpetrated. Some
times it is postoffice along railroad or
on turnpike; again it is a country store
or dwelling; but in nine out of ten cases
the robbery is the work of tramps AS
they go from city to city they are sure to
stop on the way to do one of these
Jobs" If persons living outside of
big cities would carefully read the
newspapers of any large place they could
readily understand how the acts arc
facilitated and learn how to Illustrate
them. This class of robbers is
known as "bums." They go in
"mobs" of two and three, and
are familiar with the methods of one an
other. They have certain localities
where they meet, in the vicinity of lime
kilns, large factories, coke furnaces,
smelling works and any other place
where workmen congregate and where
they are likely to secure morsel of Cos
sip which will put them in the way of
accomplishing robbery. Cunning fell
lows they are, careful not to address
each save by nicknames, which invaria-
bly, are the result of some popularity of
habit, appearance or residence. "Baby-
face Shorty" "Trenton Pete" "Slim
Johnny" Baltimore Jack" and "Greasy
Joe'' are only few bona fide sobriquets
of tramps known to the police of Phila-
delphia, Wilmington, Washington and
Baltimore as desperate characters.
Many of the terrible deeds which have
Mortified the readers of newspapers have
been those of tramps. The country is
their favorite field of action. They are
the very lowest class of criminals.
Directly opposed to them in personal
habits and line of work are the bank
burglars. These are the most accom-
plished class of thieves. The "bank
man." or gopher" is always neatly
dressed fellow who lives well and spends
his unlawful gains freely. He possesses
fertility of mind, ingenuity of invention,
mastery of mechanical knowledge, pa
thence and keen foresight. His object
is to get into the vault or safe of bank.
In one instance the vault must be pene-
trated from the top, as was attempted in
the Eutaw Savings Bank building
in Baltimore some years ago. The
second floor of the structure was
then occupied by a congregation of
the Southern Methodist Episcopal
Church, of which Rev. s. S. Rossell was
pastor. Several services were held
every Sunday, and on the majority of
the nights in each week Bible classes and
meetings were in session. One night
burglars effected an entrance to the
room, and directly in front of
the pulpit cut the carpet, folded
it back and loosened several boards in
the floor over the top of the vault, which
was on the first floor. The purpose was
to cut through the ceiling of that story
and reach the vault, then puncture 1t
with drilled holes until section could
be lifted away. This done, it would be
easy to secure the contelts. Night after
night for weeks the "gophers" piled tools,
replacing with the greatest care on every
occasion the flooring, carpet and even
the scraps of dirt. Finally the vault was
reached, but instead of encountering
oyt 1oI>
of thick steel met them. They were
abandoned the LOB" on Saturday night
The following day when the congreg ga
ton came they were startled by the evil
dences of the robbers activity.
The Third National Bank on South
street, in the same city, was loser to the
extent of $4,000 by the operations. of
burglars, who rented room in store
next door, put out sign of commission
merchants and cut through wall to the
side of the vault.
Besides the generalship required for
such labor, originality must be part of
the plan. Science in the manufacture of
intricate tools is needful. The inven.
lions in this line are wonderful and so
progressive that only the most impreg-
nable vault, lined with plate upon plate
of steel and closely guarded by
Waterman, who in turn is watched
by means Of an indicator, not unlike a
largefaced clock in appearance, is
reasonably free from danger. Drills,
wedges, "jimmies," clamps that can be
bored into the outer plate of safe door
and as they enter will tear gradually the
door from its fastenings, "picks," blow
pipes, bellows to pump fresh air to a
gopher" when working in small place,
are but a few of the many articles in the
kit of well-equipped bank burglar
Chemicals to harden tools or soften the
object of attack are now used as well as
dynamite to burst asunder the strong
hold under attack. The remuneration Is
large when success is achieved
There are many expert bank burglars
At the head of them stands "Old Man"
Jimmy Hope, who is the only exception
to apoor gopher" He has just finished
"time" in the State prison for attempting
to rob a bank In San Francisco, by the
same method used in the Eutaw Savings
Bank case. He was surprised in broad
daylight, In a room he rented over the
bank, drilling holes in the top of the
vault. 1t is known that he is wealthy. In
spector Byrnes, of New York has him now
in Auburn prison in New York for COM
plicity in the Manhattan Bank robbery
several years ago, when 81 100000 was
stolen. Other noted burglars are George
Mason, Charles Adams, Walter Sheridan
and Langdon w. Moore. A gopher
rnobO 10 tboroupblu orrap;,od o,d oo,,,